One of the most stark and jarring images of the early pandemic lockdown were those of the abandoned, lifeless Las Vegas Strip. The always bustling Strip looked like a scene from a zombie apocalypse movie as casinos shuttered their doors and tourists were nowhere to be found. But that awful chapter of the pandemic is drawing to close this week with the announcement that both the Wynn Resorts and Cosmopolitan casinos are reopening at 100 percent capacity.
The casinos that were approved for full reopening received that permission, in part, because vaccination rates among their employees are extremely high. At Wynn Resorts, for example, approximately 88 percent of the staff has been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. That high rate is no accident as management, up to the highest levels, have encouraged staff members to get their vaccines.
With so many of its employees able to work safely, the Nevada Gaming Control Board gave the Wynn and Cosmopolitan permission to reopen to 100 percent capacity. Up until this week, they were operating at 88 percent capacity.
When the Las Vegas icons return to full capacity, they’ll also be able to ditch some of the necessary evils of pandemic-era casino life, including Plexiglas dividers at gaming tables and social distancing at slot machines. In a statement to the press, reported on by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a Wynn spokesperson described the new atmosphere saying, “Our employees and guests will continue to follow health and safety guidelines, including mask compliance, to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all.”
It should be noted that Wynn Resorts has been on the forefront of pandemic casino life by paying its employees during the shutdown and actively encouraging them to get vaccinated. That effort has clearly paid off now that they’re returning to something like normal life on the Las Vegas Strip.